US Congress (Office of Jerry Nadler, D-NY)(WASHINGTON) -- The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee wrote to Attorney General William Barr Friday to demand access to the full scope of records and evidence gathered by special counsel Robert Mueller during the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign. The letter is an attempt to lay the foundation for Democrats to ensure they can obtain the report and the underlying materials from the Mueller probe amid concerns about the records full release. There is, wrote Chairman Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat, a significant public interest in the full disclosure of information learned by the Special Counsel about the nature and scope of the Russian governments efforts to undermine our democracy. His letter is co-signed by a handful of Democrats leading other committees investigating the president or his administration, including House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, House Financial Services Committee Chair Maxine Waters, and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel. Nadler's committee would oversee any impeachment investigation should Democrats decide to pursue that course. Nadlers letter requests not only copies of Muellers full report -- whenever his investigation has concluded -- but also that the Department of Justice provide copies with material they believe may not suitable for immediate public release. This would include any classified documents or records that may be withheld from the public because of the departments policy against discussing evidence in cases where the target of an investigation is not charged. This expectation is well-grounded in the precedent set by the Department in recent years, Nadler wrote. In other closed and pending high-profile cases alleging wrongdoing by public officials, both the Department and the FBI have produced substantial amounts of investigative material, including classified and law enforcement sensitive information, to the House of Representatives. Nadler specifically focuses on the concerns that the Barr will withhold any material that could be viewed as evidence of wrongdoing by President Donald Trump, based on his comments during his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing. During the hearing, Barr said he would determine what from Mueller's confidential report would be transmitted to congressional leaders. "My goal and intent is to get as much information out as I can consistent with the regulations," he said, frustrating Democrats who wanted him to commit to releasing the full report. Where judgments are to be made by me, I will make those judgments based solely on the law and Department policy and will let no personal, political, or other improper interests influence my decision, Barr said, noting that Congress can and does conduct its own investigations, and its right to do so is not precluded by the [DOJs] decision not to provide certain information about an uncharged individual gathered during the course of a criminal investigation." Barr has suggested he may follow department protocol that do not permit indictments against sitting presidents. The argument favoring the release of records to Congress has been the subject of several published reports in recent days by legal experts. A congressional demand to access records from the special counsels probe relies on precedent set during the Watergate investigation into President Richard M. Nixon. Nadler should consider taking a page from his predecessors book and formally request a referral of possible impeachment material, Benjamin Wittes, who is a senior fellow in Governance Studies at The Brookings Institution, wrote in a column, in the online legal publication Lawfare. Neal Katyal, who served as solicitor general under President Barack Obama, also cited those actions in an opinion column in the New York Times this week raising the question of Congresss responsibility to intervene if the Justice Department finds evidence of wrongdoing. If Mr. Mueller writes a report that is anything less than a full clearing of the president: Congress would be under a constitutional obligation to investigate the facts for itself, he wrote. Nadlers letter tackled that issue head-on. Because the Department has taken the position that a sitting President is immune from indictment and prosecution, Congress could be the only institution currently situated to act on evidence of the Presidents misconduct, he wrote. To maintain that a sitting president cannot be indicted, and then to withhold evidence of wrongdoing from Congress because the President will not be charged, is to convert Department policy into the means for a cover-up. The President is not above the law. Nadlers request extends beyond the requirements spelled out in the current special counsel regulation. Under those guidelines, Mueller is required to provide the attorney general with a confidential report explaining the prosecution or declination decisions reached by the Special Counsel, but it will be up to the attorney general whether to release that report to Congress and the public. The attorney general is also required to notify key congressional leaders - the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees - when Mueller's investigation is finished, along with a "description and explanation" of any instances where a proposed action by Mueller was "so inappropriate or unwarranted" that it was not pursued. President Trump and the White House have said the decision will be up to Barr. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Democrats block vote that would stop infanticide and the coordinated medical murder of children born alive The Party of Death has once again shot down a proposal by Congressional Republicans to implement proper legal protections for human babies that are born alive following botched abortions. Claiming that infanticide is a womans right, House Democrats wouldnt even allow the bill, known as the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, to be heard on the floor much to the chagrin of Representative Tom Cole, a Republican from Oklahoma and the man who asked for a vote to at least be considered, as well as many of his Republican colleagues. If passed, the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act would ultimately prohibit health care practitioners from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion. Babies born alive following a botched abortion would thus have to be rushed to a hospital and saved something that Democrats do not want to see happen. This is the sixth time Congressional Democrats thwarted an attempt by Republicans to vote on a bill that would provide medical care and treatment for babies who provide survived failed abortions six times in the House and once in the Senate, Life News is reporting about the situation. For more related news, be sure to check out Abortions.news. Democrats now openly support murdering LIVE BABIES As it currently stands under the Born-Alive Infant Protection Act, passed back in 2002, children who survive abortions are already legally defined as human beings, persons, individuals, and children. But nowhere in this law are there specifications as to what should medically happen to said human beings, persons, individuals, and children when they survive an unsuccessful abortion. Republicans in Congress have tried and tried to amend this lacking bill with new legislation provisioning protections for the just-born, but have repeatedly encountered fierce opposition from Democrats whove made it clear that they want to see babies murdered even after theyve already left the womb. Im leading a series of speeches on the House floor to call for protections for infants born alive after failed abortions, tweeted Indiana Representative Jackie Walorski, the Republican who thus far has introduced the proposed new legislation a total of five separate times. Democratic Senator Patty Murray from Washington says murdering live babies is womens rights & health In a response tweet just days later, Washington Senator Patty Murray, a Democrat, referred to these repeated attempts by Republicans to save the lives of newborn babies rather than murder them an attack on womens rights & health. leading medical groups have said (it) should never become law, Murray says about proposals to protect the newly born. Democrats will stand w/ women, doctors, nurses, & everyone who truly cares about womens health & rights & make sure it doesnt, she added. But Republicans have promised to never give up on trying to get this or some other similar bill to protect the newly born passed and signed into law even if it takes more aggressive action. In the Democrat-controlled House, Rep. Ann Wagner and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise plan to file a discharge petition to force a vote, under which it will receive a vote regardless of leaders opposition if it gets the signatures of least 218 House members, a simple majority, reports Life Site News. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has also promised to never give up the fight for protecting human life, stating that, If the Democrats object, well ask again, and again, and again because it is just right. More stories like this about Leftists insatiable bloodlust for human death and destruction can be found at LiberalMob.com. Sources for this article include: BigLeaguePolitics.com NaturalNews.com Kathmandu, February 22 Minister for Communication and Information Technology Gokul Prasad Baskota has said that social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have to register itself in Nepal. He mentioned that it was mandatory for social networking sites to be registered in India, Germany and the USA. We arent trying to do something different. We want to make sure that these sites dont hamper the security of the country. We have heard of cyberbullying and hacking. We need to control these things, he added speaking at the Parliament on Friday. Minister Baskota said information technology was a crucial thing to be monitored as it was used also in war and for security matters. He said the government was bringing the Information Technology Bill to control misuse of information technology, including social networking sites. We arent telling the users to register themselves. We want the social media sites to register which will help us regulate it, added Minister Baskota. He also added that the government wasnt trying to suppress freedom speech and expression. Kathmandu, February 22 Austria has announced economic assistance to help Nepals cultural heritage conservation efforts. Austrian Minister for Foreign Affairs Karin Kneissl, talking to mediapersons following bilateral delegation-level talks this afternoon, said the assistance will be used to train Nepalis in the conservation of cultural heritage. She added that 120,000 Euros will be released immediately for the protection of heritages inside the Patan Durbar Square. Though the assistance amount is less, it reflects Austrias goodwill towards Nepal, she said. According to her, Austria is interested in supporting Nepal in the post-earthquake rebuilding and physical infrastructure development efforts, and it also wishes to invest in the energy and tourism efforts. Describing Nepals contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping missions as incomparable, she said Austria is committed to the promotion of multilateralism. Similarly, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, said that during the meeting, he shared with his Austrian counterpart the major priorities of the present government. I was happy to get reassured by the Minister of Austrias goodwill and support towards Nepals development endeavors. He also apprised her about the governments plan to host the Investment Summit on 29-30 March 2019, and Visit Nepal year in 2020. Trump will meet with Vice Premier Liu He, China's top trade negotiator. Chinese President Xi Jinping has designated Liu as a "special envoy," granting him the authority to negotiate directly with the U.S. Representatives from both countries have engaged in talks in Washington this week under a cloud of uncertainty created by Trump's threat to more than double tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods on March 1. U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with China's vice premier at the White House Friday as part of an ongoing effort to defuse the trade dispute between the world's two largest economies. The U.S. is calling on China to make structural changes on key issues such as stopping the theft of American technology and reining in improper subsidies and other advantages provided to state-owned companies. The Reuters news agency reported that negotiators from both sides were trying to finalize details of six broad agreements covering the most difficult issues, including those involving technology theft and corporate subsidies. Additional tariffs Trump has threatened to impose could take effect if a trade deal is not reached before the beginning of March. Trump has signaled, however, he could extend the deadline, saying March 1 is not a "magical date." The two countries imposed more than $360 billion in tariffs in two-way trade last year, after Trump triggered the trade dispute over complaints of unfair trade practices. The tariffs have weighed heavily on both countries' manufacturing sectors and raised concern they could exacerbate the global economic slowdown. Charles Boustany of the U.S.-based National Bureau of Asian Research co-authored a newly-released report that includes recommendations of how to manage the trade impasse. "We don't believe the [Trump] administration has set the stage properly to get China to change," Boustany told VOA. "It's truly a test if China will change with these broad structural issues. So, we don't think the deal they come up with is truly enforceable at this stage." Boustany said the U.S. must solicit the help of allies to build more pressure on China, adding maintaining U.S. efforts will not "be enough unilaterally." Reuters also reported the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the nation's largest business lobbying group, urged negotiators Friday to reach an agreement as soon as possible, although it expects talks to continue past the March 1 deadline. "To us, the date is not magical. What's important is to get a comprehensible sustainable agreement," chamber executive Myron Brilliant said on a conference call with reporters. Brilliant said the trade dispute between the two superpowers has increased business costs, which will continue to mount as long as tariffs are in effect. Credit: Architect of the Capitol(NEW YORK) -- Democrat Dan McCready, who narrowly lost a congressional election in North Carolina's 9th district last year, announced Friday he will run for the seat again after the state board of elections voted to hold a new election following an investigation into widespread fraud in the 2018 race. "I am running in the special election to represent the people of the 9th District," McCready told supporters Friday at a brewery outside of Charlotte. "I want to say right now that we are in this fight and we are going to win this fight." "This is bigger than one race. This is bigger than one election. This is about what does it mean to live in a democracy," McCready added. "Our right to vote is our most sacred freedom as Americans." McCready comes into the raise already a proven fundraiser, having raised $6.7 million for his 2018 race, and has the backing of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). The timing of the new primary and general election in the 9th Congressional District will be decided at a meeting of the state board of elections. The timing of that meeting has not yet been announced. The announcement from McCready comes the day after the North Carolina State Board of Elections voted unanimously on to hold a new election in the 9th Congressional District a move that came hours after Mark Harris, the Republican congressional candidate at the center of the case, testified. "I believe a new election should be called," Harris said during the hearing, adding that his conclusion is based on the testimony he's heard over the last four days. While it's unclear whether Harris will run again in a new election, both men would have to compete in a primary election, according to a law passed by the GOP-controlled legislature late last year. McCready tweeted Thursday following the board's decision saying, "Today was a great step forward for democracy in North Carolina." North Carolina Democrats said the evidence revealed at the nearly four-day hearing shows Harris knew far more about the allegedly illicit scheme than he previously disclosed. "Over an extraordinary four-day hearing, investigators laid out point by point how Republican Mark Harris' campaign funded and directed an elaborate, illegal scheme to steal an election," North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Goodwin wrote in a statement. "This saga could only have ended in a new election, and we look forward to repairing the harm dealt by Republicans and giving the people of the Ninth district the representative they deserve." Republicans thanked the State Board of Elections and said they'll do what they can to ensure that "these kinds of situations can be avoided in the future." "We will continue to work with legislators and investigators on how we can improve the electoral system so that these kinds of situations can be avoided in the future," North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Robin Hayes wrote in a statement Thursday afternoon. "The people of North Carolina deserve nothing less than the full confidence and trust in the electoral system. We'd like to thank the hard-working staff and members of the North Carolina State Board of Elections for their professionalism and dedication in this investigation." Just a day before the board's decision to hold a new election, Harris' own son said he'd raised concerns about a "shady political operative," seeking to join the Republican congressional candidate's campaign. Harris' comments came amid an ongoing election fraud case which has now triggered a brand new election. "Sitting here four days into this meeting ... my son was a bit prophetic in his statement that day," Harris said of his son John's warning about McCrae Dowless, the political hand accused of running an illegal absentee ballot collecting scheme in the state's 9th Congressional District. That warning was revealed in testimony on Wednesday and came in a phone conversation and later an e-mail in April 2017, after John Harris said he discovered abnormalities in absentee vote totals in one rural Bladen County, North Carolina. Despite the warnings, Mark Harris eventually hired Dowless to do absentee ballot and other campaign work. Harris won the 2018 election in the district by 905 votes, but after concerns were raised by the North Carolina State Board of Elections about potential election fraud, the result was not certified, leaving the seat vacant and hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians without representation in the U.S. House. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. The United States and Russia have agreed to explore options on securing travel waivers for Taliban negotiators to participate in talks to end the war in Afghanistan, the U.S. peace envoy said ahead of a fresh round of peace talks scheduled on Monday. Lifting the travel ban imposed over Taliban leaders by the United Nations has been one of the key demands of the hardline Islamic group that started negotiations with U.S. officials in 2018 to end the 17-year-old war. U.S. special peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is leading the peace talks with the Taliban, discussed the issue of lifting the travel ban for Taliban leaders with his Russian counterpart Zamir Kabulov in Ankara on Friday. Amb (Ambassador) Kabulov and I also discussed travel barriers to talks. We will explore options for securing UN travel waivers for Taliban negotiators to participate in peace talks, he wrote on Twitter. U.S. officials familiar with discussions said lifting the travel ban on some Taliban leaders could help accelerate the pace of ongoing negotiations. The Afghan Taliban said it would resume negotiations on Monday with the United States in Qatar, insisting the meeting will prove positive despite propaganda against the peace process. Last week the Taliban had to call off meetings in Pakistan after the Afghan government protested to the United Nations Security Council that leaders of the insurgent group were violating travel restrictions under international sanctions. However, the Taliban leaders have managed to evade restrictions, raising questions about the United Nations efforts in limiting their movements. In recent months, Taliban representatives have visited Tehran, Beijing and Moscow. The Afghan government was angered that regional countries have been facilitating trips for leaders of the insurgent group, including a conference in Moscow where a Taliban delegation met with Afghan opposition politicians. Short link: An Iraqi security official says five fishermen have been killed in an attack by Islamic State group militants on a camp site near the Therthar lake, 100 kilometers (60 miles) northwest of Baghdad. Naim Kaoud, head of the Anbar province security council, says the militants attacked the fishermen's site in the early hours of Saturday. Kaoud says three of the militiamen were wounded in a subsequent firefight. Short link: johnandersonphoto/iStock(NEW YORK) -- A New York federal judge wants a ladder and a visit to the Statue of Liberty before he sentences a woman who has come before his court. The woman in question is Staten Island resident Therese Patricia Okoumou, 44, who was arrested last July 4 for scaling the base of the iconic statue and taking up temporary residence on Lady Liberty's right foot. Liberty Island, where the statue is located, was evacuated and all visitors were taken off the island via ferry, a National Parks spokesperson said at the time. Footage from helicopters showed her sitting at the base of the statue, occasionally lying on her stomach and kicking her feet up behind her, ABC station WABC reported. Police were seen on the base of the Statue of Liberty, apparently trying to verbally engage with Okoumou before physically apprehending her. Footage from the scene showed the officers wearing harnesses and using ladders to scale the statue's base. Okoumou was seen holding a t-shirt displaying the words "Rise and Resist" and "Trump Care Makes Us Sick." She later said that she was protesting President Donald Trumps family separation policies. She was found guilty in a one-day federal bench trial of a number of misdemeanors including trespassing, disorderly conduct and interfering with government agency functions. U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel Gorenstein said in a court order this week that he wants to visit Liberty Island and see the scene of the crime from his own vantage point so he can better appreciate the risks or hazards created by the defendants conduct. He asked federal prosecutors in Manhattan to arrange the trip, assuming this can be accomplished without unduly inconveniencing the National Park Service. The court would like a ladder to be made available so the court (and counsel if requested) can view, while remaining on the ladder, the surface of the area where the defendant was situated on July 4, 2018, Gorenstein wrote. Gorenstein will decide whether Patricia Okoumou should go to prison for the stunt. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. The EU-Arab League summit set to kick off in Egypts Sharm El-Sheikh on Sunday will provide an opportunity for participating heads of state and governments to further strengthen economic cooperation. In an official press release on Friday, the EU provided an overview of the summit which will for the first time bring together leaders from both organisations discussing mutual strategic priorities. European Council President Donald Tusk will co-chair the meeting together with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El Sisi, with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker also representing the EU. More than 20 European heads of state or government will be at the summit, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May. According to the statement, the EU is the first trading partner and biggest investor in Arab League countries. Leaders are expected to discuss possibilities to develop cooperation in the fields of energy, science, research, (digital) technology, tourism, fisheries and agriculture, the statement said. They will also have the opportunity to tackle a number of pressing global issues, including human rights and promotion of cultural and religious tolerance and migration, which the EU described as a mutual challenge for both sides. An emphasis on the need to protect and support refugees in accordance with international law, the fight against illegal migration and migrant smuggling will also be discussed. Combating terrorism is also a key issue set to be addressed, where leaders are expected to agree on the need to further increase cooperation and coordination aimed at addressing the root causes of terrorism, fighting the influx of foreign terrorist fighters, and cutting-off support to terrorist networks. Regional conflicts, including the crisis in Syria, Libya, Yemen, and the Middle East Peace process, are also up for discussion in the two-day summit. Short link: Eighteen proposals from scientists around the world for space experiments onboard China's future space station have been shortlisted for further evaluation, with the final result to be announced in June. China Manned Space Agency, which is expected to deliver the space station by 2022, made the announcement on its website on Thursday. The agency together with the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs issued an announcement in May on partnership opportunities for scientists around the world. By October 42 applications from 27 countries had been submitted, with proposals extending across nine areas, including space medicine, space life science, and fundamental physics. An expert panel was formed by the UN office and China's space agency to evaluate the candidates and pick the 18 to be shortlisted. The application teams will now work out project implementations plan with China's technical support. China said in May that it would welcome all UN member states to partner with and jointly use its future space station. The multi-module space station, named Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace, will comprise three main parts: a core module attached to two space labs, combining for a weight of 66 metric tons, said Zhou Jianping, chief designer of the nation's manned space program in April. China will start constructing the station around 2020, according to government plans. First a Long March 5B heavy-lift rocket, which is being developed by Chinese scientists, will put the station's core module into orbit. About four manned spaceflights will then be made sending astronauts to assemble the station. The space station is expected to be fully operational around 2022 and is to operate for at least 10 years, according to the agency. In 2024 it will likely become the world's only space station if the US International Space Station is retired as planned. Frampton has inclusion body myositis, an incurable condition that causes the muscles to weaken. He spoke about it for the first time on CBS This Morning: Saturday, telling co-host Anthony Mason that he's been recording music as fast as he can, before he's unable to play any more. "Between October and two days ago, we've done like 33 new tracks," he said. "I just want to record as much as I can, now, for obvious reasons." Frampton was diagnosed about three-and-a-half years ago, after he fell off stage, but last fall, he really began to feel the effects. After a serious fall while on vacation in Hawaii, Frampton says, he decided he had to give up touring. "What will happen, unfortunately, is that it affects the finger flexors," he told Mason. "That's the first telltale sign...So for a guitar player, it's not very good." At this point, Frampton says going up and down stairs is difficult for him, as is lifting things up over his head. When he told his children about his condition, they were "devastated," but he says he reminded them, "It's not life-threatening. It's life-changing.' Frampton, who's participating in a new drug trial, says he's doing a farewell tour because, "I know that I will be at the top of my... game for this tour and I will make it through this and people won't be saying, 'Oh you know, he can't play as good.'" "I can," he added. "But we just don't know for how long." Frampton's Farewell Tour kicks off June 16 in Catoosa, Oklahoma, and will wrap up October 12 in Concord, California. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Passengers presented with palm-leaf conical hat (Non la). (Photo: Khanh Hoa News) Earlier, on February 20, the Korean low-cost carrier coordinated with the airport to launch the Incheon-Cam Ranh air route with one flight a day. T'way is the 6th carrier providing air services from Incheon to Cam Ranh, along with Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Korean Air, Jeju Air and Eastar Jet. Currently, the Cam Ranh International Airport receives 42 flights from the Republic of Korea (RoK) with an average of about 200 passengers a flight. The RoK is now the third biggest tourist market in Khanh Hoa, after China and Russia. According to the Khanh Hoa Department of Tourism, in January 2019, the central province greeted 465,500 tourist arrivals, a 13.5% rise over a year earlier; including 255,000 international tourists, up 27.5%. This year, the locality targets of welcoming more than 6.8 million tourists, a year-on-year rise of 7%; in which 3.3 million are foreigners, up 18%; earning a revenue of VND22.5 trillion, up 9%./. Razor & TieRed Sun Rising is unplugging for a new EP called Peel, due out March 22. The four-track collection features new and acoustic versions of songs from the band's past two albums, 2015's Polyester Zeal and 2018's Thread. It includes the Billboard Mainstream Rocks Songs #1 hit "The Otherside," as well as a cover of the Beach Boys classic "Wouldn't It Be Nice." Red Sun Rising will kick off a U.S. headlining tour March 21 in Louisville, Kentucky. Here's the Peel track list: "Wouldn't It Be Nice" "Left for Dead" "The Otherside" "Blister" Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. 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. Vanuatu turns the Corner LETS USE THIS AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR THE FUTURE Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23) The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said Saturday it has ordered the closure of a resort on Boracay which continued operating without proper clearances in defiance of an earlier order. A statement from DENR said the Boracay Inter-agency Task Force served the closure order Friday on the Boracay Plaza Beach Resort, located on Station 1 on the island. DENR Director Natividad Bernardino said the resort's closure was part of the "continuing effort to compel all establishments to comply with environmental laws and regulations." Bernardino appealed to everyone to follow the law and not waste the government's efforts in cleaning up the island. "All establishments which have yet to comply with existing laws and regulations should not operate until they secure all necessary permits and clearances. There should be no let-up in our efforts to complete the rehabilitation of Boracay Island," she added. According to DENR, the resort was issued a demolition order in April 2018 after it was discovered that its front and back sides exceeded the required 30 meter coastal easement and road easements of six meters from the center of the road. All establishments found violating the law were ordered closed. However, Boracay Plaza Beach Resort "continued to operate in defiance of the law while all of its neighboring establishments have demolished their illegal structures," the department said. Boracay island was shut down in April last year for a six-month rehabilitation period. It reopened in October, with officials enforcing strict rules to tourists and local businesses. Days after the reopening, 209 establishments were fined by the DENR for violating various environmental laws. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23) Two policemen were killed in a series of clashes with the New People's Army in Occidental Mindoro province on Saturday, authorities said. Combined forces of the police and military encountered around 10 NPA rebels in San Jose town's Barangay Mapaya at 6 a.m., according to a press release from the 2nd Infantry Division. No one from the government side was hurt while the military noted an undetermined number of rebel casualties during the 15-minute firefight. Nearly four hours later, two policemen were killed in a five-minute gunfight that erupted when troops encountered fleeing rebels in Barangay Mapaya of the same town. A third firefight broke out before noon as troops in the first encounter again clashed with communist rebels. Fighting was still ongoing as of Saturday afternoon. The military said government forces encountered the same group of NPA fighters in Mansalay town last Thursday and killed two of them. "These are the tired remnants seeking refuge from the community they are extorting. Nasusundan namin sila and we are hitting them not only in today's series of armed engagements, but also in the series of surrender of their members," said Major General Rhoderick Parayno, 2nd Infantry Division Commander. The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines which has been waging a five-decade insurgency, the longest-running in Asia. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23) U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit the Philippines next week to meet with President Rodrigo Duterte and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro "Teddy Boy" Locsin Jr. Pompeo will be in Manila for a two-day trip from February 28 to March 1, the U.S. Department of State said in a press release Friday. Prior to that, he would be in Vietnam from February 26 to 20 for the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Responding to a netizen on Twitter on Saturday, Locsin said he "[does not] know yet" the agenda of Pompeo's Manila visit. He was asked whether the South China Sea dispute or the review of the Mutual Defense Treaty would be discussed. Locsin said, "[Pompeo] did tell me first time we talked not to turn our noses up at Chinese deals; just to read the fine print as we should in every agreement. Last time we did not read the fine print we fell into the worst debt trap of all: that laid by [New York banks/World Bank/International Monetary Fund]." Manila and Beijing officials earlier assured that the Philippines will not fall into a debt trap despite billions of pesos in grants and investment pledges from China. This is amid concerns that China's loans to poorer nations came with strings attached and could build up staggering debt. READ: Impossible for PH to fall into debt trap China Meanwhile, Pompeo called Locsin in October 2018 to congratulate him for his appointment as Secretary of Foreign Affairs and South China Sea was among the topics they discussed. Details were not made public. In December, they met in Washington and discussed the maritime dispute again along with other regional issues. LOOK: DFA chief meets with U.S. state department secretary U.S. does not have any claim in the South China Sea but it conducts freedom-of-navigation operations in international waters around the contested area and calls out China's alleged militarization in the region. The Philippines, which has overlapping claims with China, has pursued warmer ties with Beijing despite the East Asian giant's rejection a 2016 international tribunal ruling in favor of Manila in the sea row. Pompeo's impending visit also comes as the Philippines and U.S. are set to discuss possible changes in the Mutual Defense Treaty, a nearly 68-year-old agreement that states that the Philippines and the U.S. would assist each other when either of them is attacked by a foreign force. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier raised concerns over "ambiguities" in the treaty, calling for discussions to have it reviewed. EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Defense official to head to PH for possible Mutual Defense Treaty 'update' RTHK: Venezuela's Maduro cuts ties with Colombia President Nicolas Maduro announced on Saturday he was severing diplomatic ties with Venezuela's neighbour Colombia after it backed his rival Juan Guaido in his attempts to bring humanitarian aid into the country. "I have decided to break off all political and diplomatic relations with the fascist government of Colombia," Maduro told a huge rally of his supporters in the capital Caracas. He gave Colombia's diplomats 24 hours to leave the country. "Get out of here, oligarchs!" he said. Meanwhile four trucks loaded with humanitarian aid and carrying dozens of volunteers tried to force their way across the Venezuelan border from Colombia, TV images showed. The trucks tried to enter Venezuela from the Tienditas bridge, separating the Colombian town of Cucuta from Urena in Venezuela where rioting broke out earlier on Saturday. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2019-02-23. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23) President Rodrigo Duterte is asking Moro leader Nur Misuari to help save three foreign hostages of the Abu Sayyaf group. The Abu Sayyaf in a video threatened to behead the kidnap victims one Malaysian and two Indonesians if ransom is not paid. "I would appeal to Nur Misuari to stop it. And tell the Abu Sayyaf that look, we're talking, don't make it hard for us to seek peace in our land," Duterte told reporters after the oath-taking of the members of the Bangsamoro transition government Friday night. Misuari, chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) has helped in the release of Abu Sayyaf hostages in the past. Earlier on Friday, Malacanang stood by its no-ransom policy but stressed that authorities are doing all they can to secure the release of hostages. "To give in to the demands of terrorists and other lawless groups would embolden them to engage in more abductions that would allow them to conduct extremist and other criminal activities as they could buy more arms and weapons," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement. He added that government forces are hunting down members of the Abu Sayyaf group. The Abu Sayyaf, notorious for kidnappings and beheadings, is among the local terrorist groups cited by Duterte in justifying the need for martial law in Mindanao until December 31 this year. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23) The Department of Education (DepEd) is studying a proposed "no vaccination, no enrollment" policy in public schools amid the rising number of measles cases in the country. In a press statement on Friday, the DepEd revealed that the Department of Health (DOH) made the proposal as the two agencies work closely in monitoring cases of measles a highly infectious disease locally known as "tigdas" among students. "As much as there is a growing need to reinvigorate the campaign for the importance of vaccination, Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones emphasizes that the proposed policy must take into consideration the human rights of learners, especially their access to quality basic education," the statement read. Pending a decision on the proposed ban on unimmunized children, the DepEd said it is now implementing measures to ensure the protection of students, including following up on learners who have not received vaccination. The DepEd added that it is looking into ways "to regain the confidence of parents in immunization." The DOH has said the low coverage of measles vaccinations contributed to the rise in measles cases. READ: 'Fake news is deadly': The numbers behind measles cases and immunization in the Philippines Outbreaks have been declared in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and most recently in most of Cagayan Valley. The DOH reported that the number of measles cases in the country has reached 8,443 from January to February 18 alone. Of these cases, 135 people have died. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23) The queen is now without a king. Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray confirmed she and long-time boyfriend Clint Bondad are no longer a couple in an interview with Boy Abunda Friday. "Cat, kayo pa ba ni Clint Bondad [are you and Clint Bondad still together]?" Abunda asked. "Hindi na po [No we aren't]," Gray answered. When asked if she was single, the beauty queen replied in the affirmative. Gray, however, would not reveal who initiated the split, only saying she and Bondad have been having problems even before the Miss Universe pageant. "Me, I'm a very private person kasi, and even before I left for Thailand we weren't on speaking terms so much," she said in the interview. Despite their rift, Bondad still went to watch Gray win the crown for the country. Gray said she found it difficult to go through the competition given their situation, but she reminded herself being part of the Miss Universe pageant was a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Despite the breakup, Gray seems to bear no ill will against her former flame. "I see that he's doing so well now, and I don't want to talk about it that much, one because I'm private and, two I greatly respect him and I am grateful for the time I had with him. I just wish him the best," she said. "When you're together for so long and you start off from a very young age, you grow - whether that be in your personal or in your career, or whatever and, you know sometimes, you just kind of outgrow each other in a way. And you know, if we're meant to be together maybe it'll happen in the future." There was no confirmation from Catriona when asked if she still loved Bondad, she instead said she would always be grateful for the time they spent together. Bondad, meanwhile, addressed the issue via a post on social media. "I stand by all I have ever said about you. You are still the most beautiful woman that I have ever met. I wish you the very best on your path, wherever it will carry you...Truly," he said on Instagram. Bondad added what happened may not have been what they wanted, but it was what they needed at this point in their lives. U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday met with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He at the White House on bilateral ties and the ongoing trade talks. U.S. President Donald Trump (1st R) meets with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He (2nd L, front) at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., Feb. 22, 2019. [Photo: Xinhua] Liu is in Washington D.C. for the seventh round of high-level economic and trade talks between the world's top two economies that started on Thursday. He is also visiting the United States as the special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Liu first conveyed Xi's message to Trump. The Chinese president said the two nations' trade teams have recently been implementing the consensuses he reached with Trump in December in Argentina, and have carried out intensive economic and trade consultations. Xi said these discussions have achieved good progress and have been well received by the two nations and the international community at large. The Chinese president said he hopes the two sides would maintain the spirit of mutual respect and win-win cooperation, make further efforts and meet each other halfway, so as to reach a mutually beneficial and win-win agreement. Xi said that he is willing to keep close contact with Trump via all channels. On behalf of himself and his wife Peng Liyuan, Xi also extended sincere greetings and best regards to Trump, his wife Melania and other members of the U.S. First Family. During his meeting with Trump, Liu said his ongoing visit to the United States as Xi's special envoy aims to further implement the consensuses reached by the two presidents and push for further progress in the trade talks. Over the past two days, the two teams have engaged in productive talks, and achieved good progress in such areas as balance of trade, agriculture, technology transfer, protection of intellectual property rights, and financial services, said Liu, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chief of the Chinese side of the China-U.S. comprehensive economic dialogue. Liu said the two teams will redouble their efforts and speed up the consultations in the next stage, so as to fulfill the great responsibility the two presidents placed on their shoulders. For his part, Trump said he appreciates Xi's message, and asked Liu to convey his warmest regards to Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan, as well as to the Chinese people. He stressed that his relationship with Xi is close and strong. The U.S.-China relationship is extremely important and is currently "very good," Trump said, adding that "great progress" has been made in the past two days of talks, while there is still work to be done. The two sides decided to extend the talks by two days till Sunday. Trump said that he believes the two parties would eventually reach a deal that is both "meaningful" and "good for both countries." He is looking forward to meeting Xi again in the near future and jointly witnessing a historic moment in bilateral trade and economic relations. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, and Trump's senior advisor Jared Kushner also attended the meeting. China and the United States on Thursday morning kicked off the seventh round of high-level economic and trade talks, as negotiators strived to beat a 90-day deadline that ends on March 1. The ongoing round of talks came on the heels of the just-concluded round held in Beijing on Feb. 14-15, and the working-level consultation between the two sides started here earlier on Tuesday. Altogether, these discussions aimed to resolve outstanding issues regarding the economic and trade relations between the world's two largest economies. With the current round counted in, there have been three rounds of talks between the two sides in less than a month since the end of January, despite the week-long Lunar New Year holidays in China and George Washington's Birthday long weekend here in the United States. During the last round of talks, the two sides reached consensus in principle on major issues, and had specific discussions about a memorandum of understanding on bilateral economic and trade issues. After months of escalating trade friction involving massive extra tariffs on imports from each other, Xi and Trump agreed on Dec. 1 last year that the two countries should manage to reach a mutually beneficial and win-win agreement within 90 days to break the impasse. The trade standoff has had negative impacts on both economies and added much uncertainty to global markets and the world economy. During a meeting with the U.S. delegation last week, the Chinese president once again highlighted the role of cooperation in resolving the economic and trade differences and frictions, and urged negotiators of the two sides to "make persistent efforts" to reach a mutually beneficial deal. "Cooperation is the best choice for both sides," Xi said, adding that "of course, there are principles in cooperation." 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. Hong Kong: SJ to visit Beijing Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng will depart for Beijing tomorrow. During her stay, Ms Cheng will meet representatives from the Supreme People's Court and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss matters relating to dispute resolution services in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt & Road regions. Ms Cheng will return to Hong Kong on February 26. This story has been published on: 2019-02-23. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Many times you might have found the multiple casinos available in the online market but when you are going to... Assyrian Community Leaders Meet With Ministers of Australian Government Upon request from the Hon Ray Williams MP, Minister for Multiculturalism and Minister for Disability Services and The Hon Tanya Davies MP, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Women, and Minister for Ageing, to meet with leaders of the Assyrian community. The Assyrian Universal Alliance-Australian Chapter (AUA) and the Assyrian Australian National Federation (AANF) in conjunction with the Assyrian Australian Association (AAA) organised a venue at Marconi Club on Friday 22 Feb 2019 from 10:00am -11:00am. The Ministers were welcomed by the Assyrian organisation leaders, President of Club Marconi, Mr Vince Foti and Mr Tony Zappia, CEO of Club Marconi. The meeting lasted one hour during which many issues were discussed relating to our Assyrian community in Australia. Mr David David, President of the AANF introduced Mr Nabel Karim, President of the AAA to deliver a welcoming speech followed by Mr Hermiz Shahen, Deputy Secretary General of the AUA. Mr Karim talked briefly about their organisation's activities and the role they have played for the last 50 years in providing services to the Assyrian community. He presented the Minister Williams with a token of appreciation. The Ministers also listened to the detailed explanation of the AUA activities in Australia and its views on the needs of the Assyrian community. Mr Shahen welcomed all the Assyrian guests and praised both Ministers for their efforts to assist the needs of the community and their willingness to help. Mr Shahen said: "for years our community has been neglected, even though we are a community most in need of assistance with over twenty thousand refugees arriving from the war-torn countries of Iraq and Syria in the last few years in a very traumatic situation leaving behind their destroyed homes and properties. A large number of our youth have spent more than 4-7 years in the surrounding countries waiting for the opportunity to arrive to the western countries. Unfortunately, we are a stateless nation, Historically Assyrians are the creators of the Middle Eastern civilization but in our own homeland in Iraq, Syria, Iran and Turkey we are marginalized not even recognised as the indigenous people of our own land." Mr Shahen continued by saying; "I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the premier of NSW the Hon Gladys Berejiklian MP and the Hon Ray Williams MP for their generous grants provided for the three organisations. We are hoping for further consideration to be given to our Assyrian community and their special circumstances when it comes to issuing these grants." At the end of the meeting Mr David David thanked the representatives of the all organisations including, The Young Assyrians, NSW Babylon Cultural Association, Assyrian Cultural & Social Youth Association, Assyrian Democratic Organisation, Assyrian Baz Association, Assyrian resource Centre staff and their Manager Mrs Carmen Lazar, for their presence and great services provided to the community. HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, N.J., Feb. 22, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- G3 Communications today announced an exciting new partnership between Demand Gen Report, Terminus, and The Pedowitz Group that will unite three successful and targeted conferences to create a new integrated event for B2B revenue teams. This co-located event the B2B Sales & Marketing Exchange will take place August 12-13, 2019 at the new Encore Resort & Casino Boston Harbor and will bring together FlipMyFunnel, REVTalks and the Demand Gen Summit, three successful programs targeting transformational approaches to customer engagement and revenue creation for B2B organizations. The B2B Sales & Marketing Exchange will help address the transformation taking place for B2B-focused companies that are moving towards account-based marketing, revenue marketing and new approaches to buyer-focused engagement. The combined event will also build upon the momentum of G3 Communications B2B Marketing Exchangean annual Demand Gen Report eventattended by more than 1,000 marketing executives from companies such as Siemens, 3M, Amazon, Microsoft, Google and many other leading brands. We are extremely excited to bring these three events together, said Andrew Gaffney, President of G3 Communications, publishers of Demand Gen Report and producers of the B2B Marketing Exchange. We think the combined program will provide more value for executives in both sales and marketing roles, as well as those in the combined operations roles now at the center of all revenue initiatives. We are thrilled to partner with Demand Gen Report, G3 Communications and The Pedowitz Group to bring a top tier agenda and marketing and sales thought leadership together at this new event, said Sangram Vajre, co-founder and chief evangelist of Terminus. Whats even better is it will be held at the same exciting location where we have been hosting the FlipMyFunnel event for several years. This entire community coming together right now is critical as ABM moves mainstream and leading organizations are focusing on how to scale the strategy, to continue to drive alignment between marketing and sales, and to bring ABM together with their larger marketing and go-to-market strategy. The timing couldnt be better to debut such a meaningful event. The Revenue Marketing Generation is upon us, said Jeff Pedowitz, President and CEO of The Pedowitz Group. Results-oriented. Smart. Sophisticated. Savvy. Cool. Revenue Marketers attend REVTalks to share their knowledge, passion and ideas with the best marketers in the world. Now they get all of that combined with two of the best programs in the business and get to network with outstanding sales leaders as well. The best of the best will be here, and this is a cant miss event. We are really excited to partner with Terminus and G3 Communications. Registrants for the B2B Sales & Marketing Exchange will have access to all 3 programs, as well as shared keynote sessions. The agenda is expected to feature a mix of C-level executives in marketing and sales, as well as sessions where both teams will be represented to provide use cases on their aligned approach. About Terminus and FlipMyFunnel Founded in 2014, Terminus is the leader of the account-based movement. Terminus helps customers transform B2B marketing by focusing sales and marketing resources on the best-fit, most likely to buy segments of their addressable market. Our account-based platform empowers marketing teams to easily build, operate, and measure scalable ABM initiatives that drive quality growth. We serve hundreds of B2B organizations such as Salesforce, GE, Verizon, 3M and CA Technologies to provide the technology and expertise that produce exceptional results. The FlipMyFunnel community was established by Terminus co-founder Sangram Vajre to bring together B2B marketers as they embrace ABM to share learnings and best practices through live events, a community knowledge site, and a highly trafficked podcast series. It is the leading Account-based community with more than 10,000 members. The annual FlipMyFunnel conference started in 2015 and in the 2018 conference brought over 1,000 B2B marketers together in Boston. Terminus continues to lead and support FlipMyFunnel as a key part of the Companys strategy to help B2B marketers drive quality growth by applying account-based principles to their go-to-market strategy. To learn more, please visit www.terminus.com and https://flipmyfunnel.com/ . About The Pedowitz Group and REVTalks The Pedowitz Group (TPG) wrote the book, and is the undisputed thought leader on Revenue Marketing. As a partner, The Pedowitz Group (TPG) helps companies plan, build and optimize their revenue engine by delivering services in business accountability, digital transformation and the customer experience. TPG believes that Marketing is the driver of customer engagement that fuels the revenue engine. The Pedowitz Group customers have won over 50 national awards for their Revenue Marketing excellence. To learn more, please visit https://www.pedowitzgroup.com , call 855-REV-MKTG, or visit the Revenue Marketer Blog. Created in 2014, REVTalks is the largest executive-level gathering targeted for sales and marketing professionals accountable for driving revenue. At the 2019 REVTalks event, more than 30 speakers will deliver their individual stories in a crisp, 15-minute TED Talks format. Speakers will include key marketing and sales executive from major corporations. Topics are focused on three central themes Business Accountability, Digital Transformation and Customer Experience. REVTalks represents a rare opportunity to engage 1:1 with a community of pioneers and thought leaders. These are experienced, executive-level Revenue Professionals, who will share their aha moments and lessons learned to help other sales and marketing professionals master the challenges of revenue accountability. About G3 Communications & The B2B Marketing Exchange G3 Communications is a digital media firm specializing in B2B marketing. With an expertise in publishing content across traditional and emerging channels, G3s brands include Demand Gen Report , ABM In Action , Retail TouchPoints , Channel Marketer Report , and Content4Demand . G3 Communications is also the producer of the annual B2B Marketing Exchange (#B2BMX), which is hosted by Demand Gen Report, ABM In Action and Channel Marketer Report. #B2BMX will take place at the Hyatt Regency in Scottsdale, Arizona, February 25 27, 2019, and will include 6 targeted educational tracks focusing on: content marketing, demand generation, account-based marketing, channel marketing, marketing strategy and sales enablement. The popular Demand Gen Summit track features experts in performance marketing and operations, presenting use cases on topics ranging from lead nurturing, campaign optimization and marketing measurement. The event offers a unique opportunity to learn how experienced and expert practitioners are applying new tools, tactics and team deployments to better optimize pipeline performance. Contact: Sheri Butts sheri@gthreecom.com O: 201.257.8528 x248 C: 973.842.7961 Linh Pham/Getty Images(PYONGYANG, North Korea) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un began an extended trek to Vietnam Saturday ahead of a second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi. Trump, who is set to depart the U.S. late Monday for the long flight, will meet with Kim on Feb. 27 and 28. Trump will arrive in the Vietnamese capital on Tuesday morning Eastern time. Trump will make the nearly 20-hour trip on Air Force One; Kim, meanwhile, will arrive by his preferred method of travel: train. "It may be difficult for the outside world to comprehend why he would take a train for days instead of a couple hour plane ride," Yuhwan Koh, professor of North Korean Studies at Dongguk University in Seoul, told ABC News. "It's for domestic propaganda." The trip, from Pyongyang to Hanoi, will take approximately 60 hours. Kim is scheduled to arrive Tuesday. South Korean media reported that Kim's train was spotted crossing the China border just after 8 a.m. ET. The North Korean leader is retracing the footsteps of Kim Il Sung, his grandfather and the founder of North Korea, to boost significance to this trip, Koh said. Kim Il Sung visited Vietnam in 1958 by taking a train from Pyongyang to Guangzhou, and then traveling by plane to Hanoi. "Train diplomacy" has always been North Korea's way of dealing with the outside world and "succession of tradition is important to North Korean people," said Koh. But the more realistic reason for the choice of train rather than plane is that Kim may have decided it is unsafe to travel on his Soviet-era passenger aircraft, which is not equipped to fly long distances. He had taken a China Air 747 Boeing, similar to Air Force One, to meet Trump in Singapore last June. China had offered it to Kim with a fighter jet escort from Pyongyang to Singapore. "It's a matter of national pride. He would be losing face to have to ask China again," Koh explained. The distance south to the Vietnam-China border is thousands of miles and would take at least two full days, according to analysts. Kim is likely to disembark at the border station of Dong Dang, and then travel 105 miles to Hanoi by car. Authorities were spotted at the station nearest the Vietnamese border adding security measures on Friday. Traffic on the route to Hanoi will be partially banned until 7 p.m. on Feb. 25 and fully banned from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 26, according the ruling Communist Partys Nhan Dan paper. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES TORONTO, Feb. 22, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hampton Financial Corporation (Hampton or the Corporation) (TSXV: HFC) (TSXV: HFC.PR.A), is pleased to announce the completion of a non-brokered private placement offering (the Offering), raising gross proceeds of $30,000 CAD through the issuance of 100,000 units (Units). The Units were offered and sold at a price of $0.30 CAD per Unit with each Unit consisting of one subordinate voting share in the capital of the Corporation (each, a Share) and one subordinate voting share purchase warrant (each, a Warrant). Each Warrant entitles the holder, upon the exercise thereof, to purchase one additional Share (each, a Warrant Share) at the price of $0.40 CAD per Warrant Share for a period of 24 months following the date of the closing of the Offering. The proceeds from the Offering will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes. The Offering completes the financing efforts the Corporation began in December 2018. All securities issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a four-month hold period expiring on June 23, 2019 in accordance with applicable securities legislation. The Corporation had filed a Price Reservation Form (Form 4A) with the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) on February 12, 2019. The TSXV has issued conditional acceptance of the Offering. The Offering remains subject to receipt of final acceptance by the TSXV. About Hampton Financial Corporation The Corporation, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Hampton Securities Limited (HSL), is actively engaged in family office, wealth management, institutional services and capital markets activities. HSL is a full service investment dealer, regulated by IIROC and registered in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario and Quebec. The subordinate voting shares, and preferred shares of Hampton are listed on the TSXV under the symbol HFC and HFC.PR.A respectively. For more information, please contact: Joe Pavao President & Chief Operating Officer Hampton Financial Corporation Hampton Securities Limited (416) 862-7800 The TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) has in no way approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this press release. This press release does not constitute or form a part of any offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction outside of Canada. The securities being offered have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to a U.S. person absent registration or pursuant to an available exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. There will be no public offering of securities in the United States. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively referred to herein as forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, which may include, but are not limited to, information and statements regarding or inferring the future business, operations, financial performance, prospects, and other plans, intentions, expectations, estimates, and beliefs of the Corporation. All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "achieve", "could", "believe", "plan", "intend", "objective", "continuous", "ongoing", "estimate", "outlook", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should" or similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes. Forward-looking statements involve and are subject to assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors beyond the Corporations ability to predict or control which may cause actual events, results, performance, or achievements of the Corporation to be materially different from future events, results, performance, and achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements herein. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance. Although the Corporation believes that any forward-looking statements herein are reasonable, in light of the use of assumptions and the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in such statements, there can be no assurance that any such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results may vary, and vary materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements herein. Accordingly readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of the risks and uncertainties inherent in forward-looking statements herein and should not place undue reliance upon such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements herein are qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking statements herein are made only as of the date hereof, and except as required by applicable laws, the Corporation assumes no obligation and disclaims any intention to update or revise any forward-looking statements herein or to update the reasons that actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise. MIAMI, Feb. 22, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The following is a statement being issued by David Howe in response to FBI correspondence. SubscriberWise , the nations largest issuing CRA for the communications industry and the leading protector of children victimized by identity fraud, announced today the formal request to a veteran Ohio FBI agent, and former child-crime contact for SubscriberWise founder David Howe , to forward allegations and evidence to Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray along with senior agents who specialize in complex white-collar and economic crime schemes. Read the correspondence: https://docdro.id/7kX65gT . Its a very direct request that Ive made to this experienced Ohio FBI agent, confirmed David Howe, SubscriberWise founder and Americas identity guardian for babies, for girls and for boys. And it follows a recent telephone call that I had from this same agent, as well as several on the record calls with others at the Federal Bureau of Investigation over the past week and months. Yesterday I made a very firm and entirely serious request to forward my most recent correspondence directly to Director Wray along with senior agents at the FBI Washington Division. Today, I share this correspondence and request for the public record. I anticipate, eagerly, that Director Wray will soon become aware and informed as I continue to escalate my efforts to expose the systematic financial theft machine thats long harmed innocent consumers with ease and impunity. Simply stated, I respectfully urge the Directors engagement as this fellow USA law-abiding community-concerned citizen -- and crime survivor -- demands the United States government, including specifically the leading law enforcement agency, to finally take note of this wholly uncontroverted damning evidence contained on Florida official records. And then I ask Director Wray to act swiftly and decisively, Howe concluded. Yes, Director Wray, leverage the resources of our nations FBI and derail the theft train while also mangling the tracks, permanently. About SubscriberWise The nations first Issuing consumer reporting agency (CRA) for the communications industry, SubscriberWise employs enhanced Subscriber Level Segmentation technology to precisely identify credit challenged subscribers to ultra-high achievers to maximize sales and boost profits. By incorporating years of communications performance data and proprietary decision models, SubscriberWise delivers unprecedented predictive power with a fully compliant, score-driven decision management system. Combined with Red Flag compliance and operator-controlled rules, SubscriberWise analytics empower CSRs to instantly and accurately respond to payment and credit characteristics with appropriate options for every subscriber. With SubscriberWise, no subscriber request is ever denied because of credit risk factors. SubscriberWise contributions to the communications industry are quantified in the billions of dollars annually. SubscriberWise is a U.S.A. federally registered trademark of the SubscriberWise Limited Liability Co. LorenzoT81/iStock(CARACAS) -- As peaceful aid workers started up trucks that would carry humanitarian aid across Venezuela's borders with Brazil and Colombia on Saturday, thousands of Venezuelans in need of food and medical supplies took to the streets to pressure the military to allow the much-needed aid into the country. The confrontations, most of which have occurred on the Venezuelan side of the borders, turned violent in many instances, threatening to further embroil the country into chaos. On the Simon Bolivar International Bridge, which crosses into the country from Colombia, Venezuelan authorities unleashed tear gas to disperse crowds, who had begun forming human chains in an effort to cross the aid on their own. Venezuelans knocked down barricades and threw them into the river from the Bolivar bridge. In a separate incident there, three defecting members of the Venezuelan National Guard drove their armored vehicle over the bridge in an apparent attempt to escape the country. Other military personnel defecting from Venezuela also crossed the bridges into Colombia throughout the day. In all, at least 23 members of the Venezuelan Armed Forces fled to Colombia, according to that country's migration agency. Two trucks carrying humanitarian vehicles were burned on the bridge, according to the migration agency. Venezuela has become an international flashpoint since January, when the United States and 50 other countries recognized Juan Guaido, the leader of the country's opposition party, as its interim president. Led by President Donald Trump, the collection of countries has called on Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, to resign. On Saturday, President Donald Trump tweeted, God Bless the people of Venezuela! The latest point of contention between the two sides has been the entry of humanitarian aid into Venezuela -- Guaido and his supporters pushing to allowing it in, while Maduro and his security forces resisting the help from the U.S. and other countries. Tons of food and medical supplies, such as medication, wheelchairs, crutches and bandages, have been stockpiled on the Colombian and Brazilian sides of the Venezuela border for weeks, awaiting safe passage into the country, including more than 200 tons in Cucuta, Colombia, alone. For just as long, Maduro had ordered military personnel to block access into Venezuela and placed containers on the bridge to block the trucks from passing over. On Thursday, Maduro ordered the border crossings closed and blasted the U.S. for using aid to undermine him. On the Simon Bolivar, Urena and Tienditas bridges, confrontations have continued since early Saturday. In some cases, both the military and Venezuelan citizens have thrown rocks. Amid the violence, some of the aid is finding its way across the various border crossings into Venezuela. Guaido said the first shipment of aid had passed through Venezuela's border with Brazil. A couple hours later, he announced that the trucks carrying aid from Colombia had also crossed the Venezuelan border, but said Maduros regime was impeding its passage. Meanwhile, Maduro called on Venezuelans to "defend our independence." "Here, peace will triumph," he wrote in Spanish in a tweet. Maduro also called Colombian President Ivan Duque the devil in a speech Saturday morning and announced that he was breaking off diplomatic ties with that country. He gave Colombian diplomats 24 hours to leave Venezuela. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. mizoula/iStock(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump has named a new pick for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, tapping Kelly Knight Craft, the current U.S. ambassador to Canada, to fill the role. A senior administration official told ABC News that Craft was at the White House earlier Friday when President Trump offered her the job. Craft, a native of Glasgow, Kentucky, becomes the second nominee the president has selected to replace former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, who resigned in October. Her nomination was applauded by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who personally recommended Craft to the president for the post. The President made an exceptional choice for this critical post," McConnell, R-Ky., said in a statement. "Kelly Craft is a strong advocate for American interests and will be a powerful representative of our great nation at the U.N. She has a long record of service to her state and the nation and Im confident she will continue to serve with distinction as Americas voice to the world at the United Nations. I was proud to recommend this remarkable Kentuckian to President Trump. Trumps first nominee, Heather Nauert, the former State Department spokeswoman, withdrew her name from consideration last Saturday after problems arose in her background related to an undocumented nanny she had employed at her home. Trump quickly resumed interviews, and Crafts name had emerged as a frontrunner for the post. Before Nauert was nominated, Trump had interviewed Craft for the post on October 2. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. RTHK: N Korea's Kim to make official visit to Vietnam North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will soon make an official visit to Vietnam, officials said on Saturday, as Hanoi prepares to host Kim and US President Donald Trump for a summit next week. "Kim Jong-un will pay an official visit to Vietnam in the coming days," Vietnam's foreign ministry said on Saturday on its Facebook page. Media did not specify when the visit would take place, but several sources said on Friday that Kim was expected to arrive late on February 25 or February 26 by train. Kim and Trump will meet on February 27-28, the second summit between the two leaders aimed at dismantling Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal. Their first summit last year produced a vaguely worded commitment for Pyongyang to denuclearise, and observers are hoping the follow up meeting will produce concrete outcomes. Kim is expected to travel to Vietnam by train, stopping at the Dong Dang train station near the China border before making the 170-kilometre journey to Hanoi by car. Hanoi is taking the unprecedented move of blocking all traffic along the road from 6am until 2pm on February 26, state media reported on Friday, suggesting Kim will travel along the normally busy highway by car. Vietnam has beefed up security at the Dong Dang station and along the road leading to Hanoi, according to reporters at the scene who saw scores of armed guards in the area on Saturday. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2019-02-23. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.